Impact of Rural-Urban Immigration on Substance Use in a Sample of Turkish Youth

Abstract

Abstract Objectives: This study examines the data from a large survey of youth in metropolitan Istanbul to examine the generation status in rural-urban immigration and its relationship of substance use/alcohol use in a high school (HS) setting. Methods: The study data were collected by the Istanbul Department of Education on 31,604 HS students which were a survey of 66 questions administered in the school setting. Immigration statuses of the students and their parents were categorized, and it was compared with the type of substance use. Odds ratios were calculated by using the participants from rural area as the reference category. Results: A total of 31,272 participants, 14,477 (46.6%) male and 16,581 (53.4%) females between the ages of 13 and 21 years constituted the final sample size for this study. Out of the total number of participants included in analyses (24,974), 18% had all family members from Istanbul, 16% had at least one family member from outside of Istanbul, 44% had majority of family members from outside of Istanbul, and 21% were from outside of Istanbul. About 15% of participants from Istanbul reported using tobacco, whereas those from outside of the city reported about 12%. Twenty-seven percent of participants from Istanbul reported using alcohol as compared to 18% in participants from outside of Istanbul. The combined category usage (alcohol and any substance use) was found in 33.7% in participants from Istanbul and 24% in participants from outside of the city. Conclusion: Rural background may play a protective role in substance and alcohol use in Turkish adolescents and young adults. In Istanbul, nonimmigrant individuals are more likely to use any type of illicit substance, or combination of illicit substances and alcohol as compared to immigrant individuals.